Aqours Chapter 24
Off to the Beach Clear skies predicted! Let's all go to the beach! {| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" ! colspan="1" style="text-align:center;" width="650px" | Story 1 |- |'Chika': C'mon, guys! Hurry up! We're all gonna go out for a run! You: What’s the matter? Why the big rush, Chika? Kanan: Yeah, is there any reason we need to be in such a hurry? Chika: There is! Look outside and see for yourselves! …Oh no. Chika: Aw, maaan! It’s raining! I thought for sure we’d finally get to practice outside! Riko: They did say there was a 100% chance of rain today, though, so I’m kinda surprised it didn’t start coming down sooner. Dia: It’s a shame we can’t go outside, but at least we didn’t get soaked while out running. Ruby: Yeah. It would’ve been terrible if we all caught colds. Look, the wind’s picking up, too! All the branches are swaying. Hanamaru: It’s not even the rainy season yet, but all this rain every day sure makes it feel like it is, zura. Mari: Or maybe the rainy season came early this year after all? Yoshiko: It’s possible, seeing as it’s been raining nonstop since last week. You: Now that you mention it, there are definitely times where it rains this much before the actual rainy season, too. Ruby: So we might be stuck with this rain for a while, then? Chika: What?! That’d be bad news! REALLY bad news! Hey, Yoshiko? Can’t you use your fallen angel powers to do something about this?! Yoshiko: Heh heh heh, I had a felling this time would come. Behold as I use the powers of this holy sacrifice to bathe the Earth in light once more! Ruby: E-Eeeeek! I just saw lightning! I-I’m so scared… You: Um, by “holy sacrifice,” were you talking about that, uh… upside-down teru teru bozu doll? Hanamaru: Yoshiko, I’m pretty sure that only made the rain even worse, zura. Kanan: Yeah, I don’t think it’s stopping any time soon. It’s supposed to stay this way until Friday. You: Does that mean it’ll clear up again over the weekend, then? Dia: I just looked it up. It’ll be cloudy on Sunday, but on Saturday they’re predicting clear skies. Mari: And the chance of rain is 0%, too. We won’t have to worry about getting rained on outside! Chika: Yay! Then we’ll be able to get in lots of good practice outside on Saturday! You: I’m glad. I’ve seriously been dying to stretch my legs and move my body around. I can’t wait! Kanan: Me too! It’s nice when we can work outside. Riko: Yeah, it always makes me feel more motivated when I can soak up some sun during the day. Mari: Oh, no! We’ve got a big problem! Kanan: Wh-What is it, Mari? Mari: Well, Saturday is when they’re going to renovate the school roof. They had to put it off because of all the rain. Riko: Meaning we won’t be able to practice up there? Dia: That’s exactly what it means. How could I be so forgetful? Chika: Ugh, guess we’ll just have to come up with something else… Hey, I know! You guys! Why don’t we practice on the beach? We haven’t done that in forever! Dia: R-Really? But the beach isn’t open yet at this time of year. Kanan: That’s okay. If anything, that might let us reserve the entire place to ourselves. You: I’m with Kanan! We can run around on the beach better than we could on the roof. And besides, the sand’ll be great to help build stamina. Yoshiko: I can also erect a magic barrier in the sand to protect us from the rain on the off chance that it shows up. Hanamaru: Sounds like you’ll be practicing something a bit different from the rest of us, zura. Riko: The beach, huh? I live so close to it, but I haven’t gone lately because of all the rain. It would be a nice change of scenery. Dia: It’s not a bad place to visit from time to time. You can appreciate all the Uchiura Sea has to offer up close and personal. Mari: Then it’s settled! We’ll have our practice this weekend on the beach! Ruby: I’m so excited just thinking about it! What should we bring for snacks? Mari: Oh, good point! I’ll prepare something really special for the occasion!  'Riko': It feels like we’re going on a field trip even though it’s right here in town. Maybe we should change our training regimen to make it beach-themed? Chika: Oh, yeah, that’s a great idea! Alright, what kinda stuff should we do to make it more beach-y? You: Well, we can’t forget to run in the sand, for starters. Kanan: Long-distance swimming might be good for improving our stamina once summer really kicks off. Mari: Let’s just decide depending on how the water feels. I want to enjoy the sea in my swimsuit while we’re there, too! Ruby: What about doing a dance lesson in the sand? Hanamaru: I can already see that doing wonders for keeping us in shape, zura. Yoshiko: I also wanna make sure we get in our vocal exercises as we face the water. Dia: Aren’t you all forgetting something? We need to get in basic training like push-ups and sit-ups, as well. Mari: Of course! Thanks, Dia. It’s important to keep our training balanced like that. Chika: Thanks for chiming in, everyone! I think we’ve got our regimen all figured out. Now Saturday just needs to hurry up and arrive! |} {| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" ! colspan="1" style="text-align:center;" width="650px" | Story 2 |- |'Riko': I love being on the beach in the morning. The air is so nice and crisp, it feels easier to focus. Chika: Hehe, you already coming up with new songs for us to perform or something, Riko? Riko: I-I can’t think anything up THAT fast. But the scenery might give me some good inspiration, yeah. Kanan: I’m surprised I’m the fourth on here. I thought I’d be the first to arrive. Who got here first? You: Chika and Riko. I got up early and everything and they still beat me here! Chika: Well, I live closest to here and I’ve been so excited that I woke up way early. And then when I walked out on my porch, I saw Riko was up, too. Riko: Yep. I was really surprised to see that you were up so early… Oh, hey, there are the others!  You: Hey, girls! Over here! Ruby: Oh, it’s You! And Chika and Riko, too! Good morning! Hanamaru: Hey, Yoshiko. We’re not on the bus anymore. You’ve gotta wake up and walk on your own, zura. Yoshiko: Hrm… Just five more minutes… Dia: Honestly, this is what you get for staying up so late. Ruby: How do you know that’s what she did, Dia? Dia: I can tell from all of the teru teru bozu dolls that she’s got strapped to her bag. Hanamaru: That’s true. Those weren’t there yesterday. Dia, you’re quite the detective, zura! Mari: That’s our Yoshiko. Always set in her ways. *Sigh* Good morning, Yoshiko. Yoshiko: Huh? Um, m-my name is… Hanamaru: Yoshiko, you know that’s Mari talking to you, right, zura? Yoshiko: Forgive me. It would appear that I, Yohane, unwittingly used a forbidden space traversal spell, hence the brief confusion. Dia: Well, now that you’re awake, we can get going. On that note, Mari, if my eyes don’t deceive me, do I… Do I see a swimsuit under your clothes? Mari: You sure do! You can’t properly enjoy the water without one! Kanan: Mari! It’s still too cold to go out swimming in the sea in just a swimsuit! Dia: …Yes. What she said. Mari: No problem! We can all just play together at the edge of the water! You: Oooh, yeah! I’m down! I’ll come with you! Ahahaha! Dang, it’s cold! Chika: Hey, I wanna join, too! You, wait for me! Riko: I-I guess I’ll go, too… Ah! It really is cold! Yoshiko: Running around in the water like this, I have a feeling I’ll be able to recruit quite a few little demons come summertime… Ruby: I wanna go in the water, too! C’mon, Hanamaru! Hanamaru: D-Do I really have to, zura?! Kanan: C’mon, Dia! Join us! The water’s chilly, but it feels good here! Dia: Ugh, I don’t believe we came here just to fool around, you know. Kanan: But this wet sand is pretty heavy. I think it’ll give you a good workout. Dia: I suppose you’re right. Alright, then I, too, shall run around with you all in the water! Chika: Okay, then! Let’s race to that levee over there, you guys! You: Sounds good to me! Alright! Ready… Go! Hanamaru: Y-You all are too fast, zura! Yoshiko: Off we go, Zuramaru! It’s time to show you just how fast this fallen angel can run on land! Ruby: You’re so fast, Yoshiko! I’m gonna give it every ounce of energy I’ve got! Chika: *Huff* *Huff* I see you’re still as speedy as ever, Kanan. Kanan: That’s because I run every day to stay in shape. Now, how about we do another lap? Mari: Stop! We shouldn’t run here. Look at what’s on the ground. Dia: Indeed. There’s quite a bit of garbage around here. I see lots of plastic, bottles, and cans… Kanan: I wonder if they washed up on the shore because of all that rain. We should probably help clean it up since we’re here already. Mari: Definitely! Not only will it make the beach safe for us to practice on, it’ll make it look nice again! Everybody wins! Chika: I’ll go grab some garbage bags and gloves from my house!  'Dia': Alright, then we’ll clean the beach before we begin our training in earnest. With all of us here, it shouldn’t take very long. Together: Yeah! |} {| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" ! colspan="1" style="text-align:center;" width="650px" | Story 3 |- |'Chika': I'm back! And I brought a whole bunch of... *Huff* Cleaning supplies! You: Welcome back, Chika! Wait… Whoa! Riko: How did you fit so much stuff in two buckets?! Chika, hang on! I’ll help you! You: Me too! Help is on the way! Kanan: You really did bring a ton of stuff. What the heck do you have in there? Chika: *Giggle* Oh, you know, this and that. I stuffed it all into the buckets, and they were full before I knew it. Mari: That’s our Chika! So prepared! As long as we’re equipped, there’s nothing to be upset about. Dia: That’s right. Now, let’s get those buckets emptied and get to work. Let’s see, we’ve got bags, gloves… Yoshiko: I call that one! Behold my fallen angel’s enchanted staff! Hanamaru: Those are garbage-picking tongs, Yoshiko. Ruby: Oh, you brought a rake, too! You know, I think with us all working together, cleaning up the beach will be really fun! Dia: And with this many trash bags, we’ll be able to separate garbage from recyclables. Now, let’s get our gloves on and get to work!  'Together': Right! Yoshiko: Secret technique — Fallen Angel’s Hammer! Mu, ha, ha. Nailed it! Ruby: Eek! Empty cans flew out of the sand! Yoshiko, your technique with those trash-picking tongs is out of this world! Yoshiko: Now that I’ve taken possession of the forbidden fallen angel’s staff, nothing will escape my right arm! Riko: Whew… This is kind of tough, but knowing that it’s making our beach beautiful again makes it all worthwhile. Chika: Yeah, and it’s giving my legs and hips a real workout, too. Oh, hey! Maybe this is a kind of exercise!  Kanan: We are going to have to spend a lot of time down near the ground. What if we do squats to pick things up instead? Ruby: Then we’d be exercising and cleaning at the same time. I’ll give it a shot! Uh… Uhh… Wh-Whoa! Hanamaru: R-Ruby, are you all right?! Ruby: Yeah, I just squatted too low, and fell flat on my butt. You: What happened, Ruby? Did you get hurt? Ruby: N-No, I’m okay! This just caught my eye. It’s so pretty! Chika: That’s sea glass. I used to collect lots of it when I was little!  'Kanan': That takes me back. You’d get do obsessed with looking for pieces, you’d get awful sunburns on your back. Chika: Ah, ha, ha, ha! Yeah, I remember I couldn’t even lie down to go to sleep. That was brutal. Riko: Now that I look, there’s quite a bit of it scattered on the beach. You: Maybe the rough seas caused it all to wash up onshore. Chika: Wow, you’re right! It’s all over the place! Ruby, you made an amazing discovery! Yoshiko: Little demons lurking in the sand… Offer now your crimson tears to Yohane! Come! Hanamaru: Wow, I’ve never seen blood-red sea glass before, zura! Yoshiko: It’s not sea glass, it’s a crimson fallen angel’s tear! Dia: We’re still cleaning up, everyone! Mari: It’s not a big deal if we keep cleaning while we’re checking things out, Dia!  Dia: Mari… Ruby: Here, Dia! This clear, sparkly piece is for you. Dia: Huh? Th-Thank you… Chika: Hey, everybody! There’s a whole bunch over here! Kanan: Heh, hee. Now everyone’s obsessed with the sea glass. Dia: Well, there’s not going back now. Oh, well. I suppose there’s nothing wrong with letting your inner child out to play once in a while. Mari: Oh my gosh! What the heck is this doing here?! You: What’s up? What is it, Mari? Ruby: *Scream* A h-h-h-h-hand?! Hanamaru: A-Are we witnesses to a crime, zura?! Riko: It looks… like a mannequin. How did this get washed up here? Mari: Ha, ha, ha. Earth to Ruby! Let me give you a hand. Ruby: *Whimper* I don’t care if it’s fake, it still freaks me out… Dia: Mari, unhand that hand. I’ll hang on to it. Hanamaru: It’s over now Ruby, zura. Look at this pretty seashell. Ruby: Oh, that is pretty! It’s as white as snow. You: Huh? Hey, Riko, what’re you doing? Riko: I found this big spiral shell, so I thought if I put it to my ear and closed my eyes, I’d hear the ocean. It’s kind of hard to tell from here, though. Chika: Yeah, the actual sea’s right behind you. Tee-hee! I’m having lots of fun playing with you all, but… I feel like I’m forgetting something. Dia: We are still cleaning the beach, ladies! Let’s get back to work! |} {| class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed wikitable" ! colspan="1" style="text-align:center;" width="650px" | Story 4 |- |'You': Whew! I'm starving after all that! Riko: Me too. My stomach is running on fumes. Kanan: Well, it is after noon. Wanna take a break? Chika: Yeah! Great job on the beach cleanup, everyone. Here’s the finish line! Put all your trash bags right here! You: Mmm… Something smells good… Hanamaru: It smells like a rich sauce, zura… My stomach will start growling any second, zura… Kanan: Come to think of it, I totally forgot about lunch. Dia: We were careless. We probably won’t be able to practice long without lunch. Ruby: I brought lots of sweets with me… but I guess I should’ve brought lunches instead of snacks, huh? Chika: Have no fear! My big sister Shima’s making lunch for everyone as we speak!  Mari: Oh, goodness! Chika, your sister is a goddess! Yoshiko: I got it! That scent is fried noodles! Riko: Yoshiko, you’re talking like a hunting dog… Chika: *Giggle* Okay everyone, wash your hands and come have lunch! Shima’s seafood fried noodles are the best. You: Thanks for the meal! Chika: Boy, you inhaled that! Thanks! I’m sure Shima will be thrilled! Dia: We’re the ones who should be thanking you. We certainly owe you one… I hope there’s some way we can repay the favor. Hanamaru: That was delicious, zura! But now that I’m full, I feel kinda sleepy, zura… Ruby: We’ve been going nonstop since early this morning. I am, too. *Yawn* Riko: Hanamaru and Ruby look like they’re in heaven. And to be honest, a post-lunch nap does sound nice… Mari: We really are on cloud nine right now, aren’t we? But I’m afraid break time’s over! Dia: That’s right. I understand wanting to relax, but remember why we came here in the first place. Kanan: To practice as much as possible on a pristine seashore! Yoshiko: Finally! The fallen angel Yohane is about to descend on this gorgeous beach! Chika: Yoshiko, you’re so fired up! What say we start off with a 10K run once we get back to the beach? Riko: What?! We’re jumping right into a 10K run? You: You can really get a sense of Chika’s passion for the training regimen! Dia: *Chuckle* I had a feeling that was the case, Chika. Then it’s 20 sets of push-ups and crunches, mental focus, vocalization, dancing, and a 10 kilometer swim! Ruby: Dia, that’s amazing! That’s the full training regimen that did! Kanan: I can’t wait to see how far we can get before the sun goes down. You: Then let’s get started! Set sail! Chika: Whoa, You, you’re so fast! Wait up! Mari: One, two, three, four! Chika and Riko, turn! Okay, perfect! Chika: We did it, Riko! That means we mastered our part! Riko: Thank you, Chika! You looked great just now. Dia: Your skills and moods are both improving by leaps and bounds. I suppose it’s from focusing and practicing so intensely while in a time crunch. Ruby: It’s so much fun practicing on this beautiful beach. I’m glad we all got together to clean it up! Yoshiko: Thanks to my little demons, this beach has become worthy of Yohane’s presence. Hanamaru: Yoshiko’s fallen angel schtick is on point, too. Yoshiko: Don’t call is a schtick! You: The swim is the only part of the training regimen left, but it really is too soon to go swimming. Kanan: Why don’t we do sprints along the water’s edge instead? Chika: Yeah, that sounds good! C’mon, let’s get started on our run! Mari: *Giggle* Its cold, but it feels nice! I think I’m going to be able to run even further than usual. Hanamaru: Me too, zura! The water and sand are a bit tickly, bit I’m sure it’ll make for great lower body training, zura. Riko: After working up such a sweat during dance lessons, a little cool water might be just what we need. Chika: I’m really happy we all came to the beach today. I had an absolute blast! Yoshiko: Little demons! Bathe in the light of the setting sun and fall from grace with Yohane as we run barefoot along the water’s edge! Dia: Ah… Ruby: Dia, what is it? Is something flying up in the sky? Dia: I totally lost rack of time. It’s already evening… You: Wow, you’re right. I was so focused, I didn’t even notice, but the sun really is about to set. Hanamaru: The days are longer right now, so we ended up getting absorbed in practicing. Kanan: The summer solstice is past now, so according to the calendar, we’re in the actual season of summer now. Yoshiko: The time of the fallen angels is nigh. Having descended upon the Uchiura sea, little demons emerge from the water to join Yohane. Hanamaru: Yoshiko, that sounds horrifying, zura… Yoshiko: I suppose it is a bit macabre. But it wouldn’t be anything Yohane couldn’t handle. Ruby: *Whimper* I love the sea, and I love summer, but spare me the scary stuff… Dia: I’m reluctant to leave, but we don’t have much choice. We’ll have to head out before the sun sets. Kanan: Yeah, we need to get going. It’ll still be pretty cool once night falls. Mari: We don’t want to spoil this Wonderfull shiny day of seaside practice by catching a cold on the way home!  Riko: Chika, you look really pleased with yourself. What’s on your mind? Chika: Tee-hee. Just thinking about how much fun I had today. You: We had clear weather for the first time in what felt like forever, practiced in a different place… We had a big day!  'Hanamaru': And it felt great to clean up the beah, zura! Ruby: I hope we can do this again soon! Chika: We definitely will! Summer’s only just begun. If we’re lucky, we’ll have lots of days just like today!   |} Category:Story Category:Aqours